Swiss court convicts Czechs, ex‑IMF staffer of graft

Five Czech businessmen and a Belgian former International Monetary Fund staffer have been convicted by a Swiss court over a massive corruption scam tied to the privatisation of a Czech mining firm.

Switzerland's Federal Criminal Court sentenced the Czechs, only two of whom were present in court, to between three years and four-and-a-half years in prison, the Swiss news agency ATS reported Friday.

The Belgian, Jacques de Groote, was fined, but his penalty was suspended.